A boy called Theodore, or Teddy, is an eleven year old boy stuck in a Charles Dickens world. A terrible land lord called called Mr. Peakes is in charge of where Teddy gets to sleep and how many coins he gets to keep every week. Mrs. Hudson acts as an adopted guardian and she takes care of him. But, one Christmas Eve he cleans a rich man's chimney and almost dies from soot inhalation. When he comes too he leaves, is paid by the generous rich man and he leaves. The next day is Christmas day and he meets a strange boy on the docks in the harbor. That is when his reality changes.